Section 47: The Rescue (Part II)

"Quickly, go! My Wind Spirit Incantation and Essence-Solidifying Technique have limited durations," Wei Wuji urged urgently.

Indira immediately scooped up Cecily, spread her wings, and soared into the sky.

Broca, both shocked and furious, attempted to repeat his previous tactic. Having been forced back by Wei Wuji, he used the momentum to retreat another twenty meters before launching into a wild charge. His battle aura exploded like a storm, propelling his body at extreme speeds. At the peak of his acceleration, he intended to leap and intercept Indira just as he had done before. As long as she remained within his high-speed striking range, he was confident he could force the female Smai back down from the air.

Of course, this all assumed Wei Wuji was not in the way. Just as Broca surged forward fifty meters and prepared to leap, three golden orbs suddenly rose from the ground, enveloping Wei Wuji in a triangular formation and blocking the path between Indira and Broca.

While Broca’s high-speed charge was powerful, its flaws were glaring. First, once initiated, it had to be executed, or the immense buildup of battle aura would backfire and injure him. Second, its attack trajectory was singular and easily predicted. This was the second time Wei Wuji had seen the move; using his golden core energy to hover, he placed himself perfectly in Broca's path, turning what should have been a strike to ground Indira into a direct confrontation between the two of them. Broca’s technique was better suited for charging on a battlefield, but in a duel, if it didn't hold a significant speed advantage, it was deeply flawed.

Seeing Wei Wuji blocking his path, and with his battle aura pushed to the limit, Broca knew he had to discharge the energy or suffer internal injury. Disregarding whether he could still ground Indira, he thrust his long spear forward with all his might, aiming to impale both Wei Wuji and Indira.

The three golden orbs swirled, their light deepening from pale to a core so intense it appeared solid. From the moment Wei Wuji rose, the orbs had rotated faster and faster. By the time Broca’s spear struck, they had spun into a golden pillar of light, shielding Wei Wuji from view.

The collision of the spear against the rotating golden pillar was like pressing a needle against a high-speed grinding wheel. The three golden orbs carried Wei Wuji backward, leaving his fate uncertain. Broca, however, suffered significantly. He had intended to vent his battle aura through the spear, but his opponent’s response was bizarre. The spinning orbs not only blocked the attack but deflected the force so skillfully that the surge of energy was only partially released at the moment of contact before being whipped away by the rotation. His high-speed charge was forcibly aborted halfway through, and the trapped, unspent energy caused Broca severe internal recoil.

The sturdy white centaur fell from the air, and his elite knights rushed to catch their chieftain. Broca, however, was ungrateful, roaring, "What are you standing there for? Take him down first, then continue the pursuit of the female Smai!"

His voice was normal at first, but by the word "first," it had weakened, and by "pursuit," only the knights holding him could hear him. Although the Horsemen were known for their stamina, the consecutive days of chasing, the recent battle, and the double use of his high-speed thrust—capped off by the forced interruption—left him more exhausted than if he had mated with a hundred women in a day. He grew so weak that he had to be held up by his guards to keep from collapsing.

He realized now that with Wei Wuji in his way, continuing the pursuit would be difficult. He assumed Wei Wuji must also be severely injured from blocking his full-power strike. He would kill this man first, then hunt Indira; she couldn't have gone far.

However, the situation was worse than he imagined. As the Horsemen swarmed forward, the golden orbs in the distance glowed once more, floating quietly in their triangular formation without spinning. Wei Wuji laughed aloud, "Well come!"

Wei Wuji pressed his hands into the sandy ground, and the three golden orbs channeled energy into the sand, like three golden streams flowing into the desert.

Thunder rolled across the flat ground as dozens of sand walls rose out of nowhere, blocking the Horsemen. The knights’ spears shattered the walls easily, but what followed was a nightmare. The sky filled with sand, and Wei Wuji unleashed a wind-manipulation technique, creating a gale that whipped the sand into a blinding tempest. The Horsemen were thrown into chaos, unable to see through the swirling grit. Being creatures who valued cleanliness, they were horrified and irritated, covered in sand and wondering if Wei Wuji was playing tricks in the storm, all while dreading how many baths it would take to clean themselves.

Broca was caught in the storm as well, but he remained calmer than the others. Though he couldn't see, his senses were sharp. Just as he prepared to command his men to charge through the barrier, a warning flared in his heart—someone was approaching rapidly, killing intent erupting.

He didn't even have time to call for his guards. Fortunately, the Horseman’s stamina was genuine; having caught his breath, he had recovered enough to swing his spear, aiming to keep the attacker at bay. But the assailant seemed intimately familiar with his spearwork, sticking to the very tip of the weapon. Broca was horrified, realizing it was Wei Wuji. How bold this man was! After creating a sandstorm, he hadn't fled but had come to kill him.

Broca felt as if his spear tip had latched onto a heavy, sticky weight that wouldn't let go, as if he were carrying a thousand pounds. He dared not retract the spear, fearing the man would use the momentum to close the distance. Blinded by the sand, his men could provide no effective support. He was surrounded by his own people, yet forced to face this super-assassin alone.

Though he had partially recovered, he was no match for Wei Wuji, nor would he be even at his peak. He made a decisive choice: he released his grip, throwing the spear forward. If the opponent wanted to "stick" to the weapon, he would discard it.

This move caught Wei Wuji off guard. He had not expected such a decisive act from the centaur. This split-second hesitation gave Broca the opening he needed. He initiated his high-speed charge for the third time, but instead of attacking, he turned and used it to streak at super-speed out of the sandstorm.

Wei Wuji couldn't help but admire the quick-witted maneuver. He had intended to use the sandstorm to execute a thunderous, fatal blow, but his opponent had chosen to sacrifice his weapon and flee. If Wei Wuji pursued and failed to kill him within a few moves, the other Horsemen would surround them, and he would become the prey. With a long sigh, as the sandstorm began to settle, the three golden orbs swirled and lifted him into the air, chasing after Indira and Cecily.

By the time the dust settled, the Horsemen could find no trace of Wei Wuji. Even the Dogmen were helpless; the sandstorm had been so fierce that it had scattered the scent, making tracking impossible.

Broca’s face was ashen. They had been so close to success, yet this powerful stranger had ruined everything. Even if he continued the pursuit, with this man protecting the two females, catching them would be an immense challenge.